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The Federal High Court in Abuja has threatened to return the EFCC’s case file in the charge against Ali Bello, the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Kogi government, to the Chief Judge, Justice John Tsoho, for reassignment.

Justice James Omotosho made the threat Monday following a complaint by Bello’s counsel, Abubakar Aliyu, SAN, accusing the EFCC of publishing untrue accounts of what transpired in court on the last adjourned date on its website against his client.

The anti-graft agency filed the charges in 2022, accusing Bello and Dauda Sulaiman of fraud and alleged diversion of funds from the Kogi State Government coffers.

While Bello is the 1st defendant, Sulaiman is the 2nd defendant in the 10-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/550/2022.

Aliyu had told the court that he had a complaint to make on his client’s behalf.

He said: “The prosecutor (the EFCC) is subjecting my client (Bello) to mob justice by making publications” that were allegedly untrue.

The lawyer alleged that the publication, which was on EFCC’s website, was distributed to other social media.

“They (EFCC) said the 1st defendant made a payment of the house at Ikogosi Close in Maitama District and after he discovered that the house was under investigation by EFCC, he now returned the document back,” Aliyu said.

He said Bello told him that he did not buy the property contrary to the allegation.

The lawyer, who gave a copy to the court, also said that a copy of the printout had already been served on the commission’s counsel.

“What is your reaction counsel,” Justice Omotosho asked EFCC’s lawyer, Abbas Muhammed.

Responding after he went through the copy, Muhammed said he could not verify the authenticity at the moment.

“I have seen the publication. At this point my lord, I cannot verify. I will have to verify with the media team,” he said.

The judge gave him the go-ahead to verify and report back to the court on the next adjourned date.

“I want to say this, on the reportage of this proceedings. I won’t take it if it continues this way.

“I am going to take all your files and send them back to the CJ for reassignment.

“It is not only against the defendant but against the court,” the judge said.

Justice Omotosho said writing fictitious stories about court proceedings might make the public lose confidence in the court.

He said such action borders on the integrity of the court.

“Now that this report is online, and if I now hold otherwise, how will the society see it?

“You create the wrong impression in society.

“I can’t be put in the public for analysis on what happens in court.

“You have to go and report back. This is annoying,” the judge said.

Justice Omotosho, who acknowledged the presence of accredited journalists in court, emphasised on the need for accurate reportage of what transpired in court.

He likened it to the case of Rivers matter where some social media users attacked the court for its judgment which ruled in favour of Martins Amaewhule-led lawmakers after Gov. Siminalayi Fubara voluntarily withdrew his counter affidavit in the suit.